Former Halifax cafe owner slams Calderdale Council over handling of Threeways Centre closure

Paul Holdsworth, who ran The Hub cafe at Threeways, had to close last summer after the Threeways site in Ovenden was deemed unsafe.

He says he has not been allowed back in to retrieve his equipment or stock.

"We were closed down in June due to the building being declared unsafe," he said.

"We had to emergency evacuate the cafe and have not been able to return to get our equipment or stock."We put in a claim to our insurance company who declined our claim as the building that was unsafe is attached to our building and owned by the council."So we put a claim into the council for loss of our business and equipment and they have refused our claim and refused to let us in as the building is unsafe on the grounds of we have no lease and didn't pay rent."

Paul posted an open latter online detailing the issue, which says he has lost his life savings due to the closure of the business.

Paul says the council have not offered any of the support they promised when Paul opened his cafe, and says the council did nothing to try and resolve the safety issues at the site.

Paul also says in his letter that he is expecting to be declared bankrupt.

Coun Silvia Dacre, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Resources, said: “It was with regret that due to serious structural safety issues we had to close part of the Centre at Threeways in 2022, which included the area occupied by The Hub Café.

"Safety of the café staff and customers had to be our priority. Due to the deteriorating condition of the ageing buildings as a whole, careful consideration was then given to their future. Cabinet listened to representations from Ward Councillors, occupiers of the buildings and the public. In December 2022 Cabinet took the decision that none of the buildings were viable.“We are sorry that the planned demolition means that the organisations based at Threeways will no longer be able to provide their services in the buildings. We understand how difficult this is for everyone involved.

"We are in discussion with all the occupants, including The Hub Café. There is much preparation work to do before demolition and we are also discussing timescales for the remaining occupants to move out.“We remain committed to the long-term future of the Threeways site as part of our priority for thriving towns and the regeneration of North Halifax.”